ASEAN chief says South China Sea code to be concluded by 2025

TOKYO -- A code of conduct meant to minimize the risk of conflict in the South China Sea, where many countries have overlapping maritime claims, will be concluded between ASEAN and China by next year, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn told Nikkei Asia.

"ASEAN have been working with China ... [on] the current negotiation on [a] code of conduct, which we expect to conclude by next year," Kim Hourn said in an interview on the sidelines of the Future of Asia forum in Tokyo last week.